1. Field of Invention
This invention applies to the field of instrument sharpening specifically to allow for the ergonomic honing of hand held instruments such as those used in dentistry, to include but not limited to those used in the scaling and scraping of the coronal and root areas of teeth
2. Prior Art
Dental prophylaxis, which includes the scraping of accumulated tartar, or calcified deposits on the coronal and root surfaces of teeth, relies on specific instrumentation to engage the inter-proximal, or between the teeth surfaces. These instruments typically have tapered, beveled, pointed ends to access these tight spaces. Also, to dislodge the tartar, which tenaciously adheres to the tooth surface, it is imperative that the beveled ends be finely honed and sharp. Due to the inherent hardness of the tartar, and in particular the enamel surfaces of the teeth, the instruments quickly dull upon repetitive scraping. It is incumbent upon the clinician to maintain a sharpened edge to facilitate complete tartar removal with minimal ergonomic effort. Maintaining a properly honed edge requires frequent sharpening. To achieve this, the clinician resorts to a sharpening or Arkansas-type stone. Typically the stone is grasped between the thumb and index finger of the hand opposite the instrument holding one. The scraping motion employed requires that the fingers holding the stone must be specifically placed as to present the proper orientation of the stone's surface to the instrument's head. Furthermore, the finger grasp must be adequate enough to resist stone displacement and care must be taken to protect the holding fingers and hand from being pierced. The WHET-STONE RECEPTACLE AND HAND GUARD presents as a device to grasp the stone which is now shielded to prevent inadvertent self-sticking while being able to apply the instrument head for sharpening in an ergonomic manner. When grasped, the WHET-STONE RECEPTACLE AND HAND GUARD places the level of the sharpening surface above the fingers and the knuckles such that when the instrument head is swiped on the sharpening surface, it is directed away from the hand, thereby eliminating the potential to stick oneself. The WHET-STONE RECEPTACLE AND HAND GUARD therefore provides the clinician with an added level of safety from self-sticking with instruments contaminated with pathogens derived from the oral tissues of a patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,656 to Moore, Steven B., Apr. 9, 1996, presents an apparatus for manually sharpening instruments in which the honing stone is retained perpendicularly within the holding member. The holding member does not protect the hand and fingers that secure it from inadvertent misdirection of the instrument head during the swiping phase. Further, the configuration of the holding member requires a hand and finger grasping position that creates ergonomic stresses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,574 to Wilson, Roselyn, May 28, 1996, presents an instrument sharpening device comprising a rectangular and elongate wedge-shaped ceramic stone. It is designed to allow passage of the instrument head to be sharpened over many aspects of the stone's surface. This stone possess no restrictive walls or deflection barriers thereby predisposing the operator to inadvertent finger or hand assaults from a misdirected motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,434 to Prusaitis, John H., and Prusaitis, Timothy J., Sep. 16, 1997, presents a device which has a vertical supporting member affixed to a horizontal base member. The sharpening stone is attached to the vertical supporting member such that the grasping hand is remote from the sharpening area. However, the apparatus must be stabilized on a stationary horizontal surface during its usage which limits its portability and employment as a hand-held device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,662 to Pugliese, Robert B., and Cucinella, Salvatore, Nov. 21, 2000, presents a hand held sharpening device in which the grasping hand is remote from the sharpening area. However, the device is configured to sharpen scissors, and does not permit for the engagement of operative instruments such as dental scalers and curettes. Specifically, the patent declares itself to be a scissor sharpener.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,949 to Gleason, Robert, Dec. 6, 2005, presents as a sharpening guide for dental instruments. Its primary focus is to maintain a specified orientation between the instrument head and the sharpening surface. In itself, it possesses no sharpening medium. Also, it provides no ergonomic design for grasping. Further, it provides no specific means to protect the grasping hand and fingers from inadvertent misdirected instrument swipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,126 to Sommers, Corey, et al, May 15, 2007, presents specifically as a hand held dental mirror, with a sharpening stone attached to the gripping shaft of the mirror. This configuration does have ergonomic limitations. Further, it provides no protection to the gripping hand from inadvertent misdirected instrument swipes.
Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, several advantages of the present patent application of Brian D. Viscomi and Howard S. Glazer for the WHET-STONE RECEPTACLE AND HAND GUARD are:                a. A sharpening stone to hone the cutting edges of instruments.        b. Ergonomically designed for comfortable, secure grasping.        c. Protectively encased stone as to prevent self-sticking during usage.        d. Lessens the chance of acquiring unwanted pathogens.        e. Withstands the rigors of autoclaving for infection control.        f. Reduces hand and finger stresses associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.        g. Allows for multiple hand and finger positions for maximum comfort.        h. Assumes multiple orientations to best access instrument's cutting surface.        